17th International Conference on Orienteering Mapping

The 17th International Conference on Orienteering Mapping will take place on 26 August 2016 in Strömstad, Sweden. The IOF Map Commission welcomes you to the 17th International Conference on Orienteering Mapping taking place in conjunction with the World Orienteering Championships in Strömstad, Sweden. The conference has become a traditional event where mapmakers and map interested people from around the world discuss and share information about the latest mapping standards, techniques and developments in a relaxed and informal atmosphere.
The programme has been arranged to make it possible for you to take part in the public races and other important events.
Do you want to take part, and maybe hold a presentation? Presentations on all aspects of orienteering maps and mapping are welcomed. Examples of topics include:

ONZ Mappers List

As many of you may be aware, on the Orienteering New Zealand webpage there is a list of the ‘current’ available mappers in New Zealand. This list was last updated in 2014, and can be found under the “About ONZ & Contact” tab at the top banner on the ONZ homepage. If your name is not on here, but you wish to be so (or vice-versa), you may wish to email the ONZ webmaster webmaster@orienteering.org.nz to have your details updated.

OCAD Tips and Traps

Not many maps that come into my hands have any sort of history trail. OCAD has a little notepad that I use to note stages in the map’s life. The contours came from… The symbols came from… (though I can tell those that go back to Mark Roberts!!!) It was massaged into shape at such a time. There was a scale change. A new bout of fieldwork. The handover from mapper to club. A significant extension. For me these milestones coincide with a “save as” new version, but I know that mappers have different habits on how often they do this. The notepad is part of “Map Information” in the MAP menu. BTW the map information gives you the number of symbols, does anyone have a better method of counting rocks than exporting them to a temporary file? How about a method for the total track length (special interest for MTBO)? Michael Wood

Topo Map Extents – relating a map sheet to coordinates

I sometimes want to know what sheet I’m on, e.g. to home in on the right aerial photos. But LINZ has dropped the table they once had on their website. They’ve sent me the data and I’ve temporarily put it up on my website. It’s at www.mapsport.co.nz/topo50mapextents.html. Years ago when they threw the NZMS260 maps away the same thing happened, but I sometimes want photos based on them. I’ve had those numbers too at www.mapsport.co.nz/topo260mapextents.html. We’ll stick them on ONZ in due course. If anyone knows another link to these tables let us know, it seems crazy that we should have to store it. Michael Wood

Drawing Conventions

A little-known provision in ISOM is to use green dots for 404 “Rough open with scattered trees”. This may be more recognisable for e.g. rough sand dunes with patchy bush than the usual white dots. And there’s anecdotal evidence that orienteers don’t actually recognise the difference between 404 and 402 (which would be more likely in a city park for example). I find though that the green dot size needs to be reduced a bit otherwise the symbol looks terrible, and use 0.4mm (0.6 for 1:10,000). Though you didn’t run through it, there are some examples on the QB Day 3 map. Comment welcome. Michael Wood

Mapping Requests

2018 Nationals Long Distance and Relay

Expressions of interest are sought for mapping an area for the Long distance and/or Relay Nationals for 2018. The 2018 Nationals are being jointly hosted by PAPO and DOC. PAPO is organising the Long and Relay on a location that is yet to be decided, but will be on the South Island east coast, not too far inland and approximately halfway between Christchurch and Dunedin. PAPO are hoping that the area will be checked and permissions in place by spring of 2016 allowing for mapping to take place over the summer months and towards Easter 2017, which will give PAPO an idea of the probable conditions for the events.

Taumaranui High School

The mapping committee has had a request from Taumaranui High School that their grounds, including a pine plantation, be mapped for orienteering. If this project interests you, I encourage you to get in touch with the mapping committee, who can pass your contact details on to the high school.